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Is it time to turn on the Lightning Experience?

There is a storm coming late October 2019…and we see Lightning.  Beginning Winter 20’ the Lightning Experience will be turned on for all orgs. At this point, it is not a question of ‘Should I make the switch?’ it’s ‘How’ . On October 12, 2019, the update begins auto-activating. If you are still holding strong to Salesforce Classic, hear us out for a second. We understand that there is nothing more frustrating than getting used to something and like a bolt of lightning it’s gone (ha!). However, more organizations are switching to the Lightning Experience and are better off doing so. Technology is constantly evolving and Salesforce is at the forefront of those changes,they don’t call it the Fourth Industrial Revolution for nothing.

Lightning Experience Dashboard, Showing The Many Ways That Salesforce Lightning Can Be utilized. On Tablets, Mobile Devices, Smart Watches and More.

THE NEXT LEVEL OF SALESFORCE

The promise of enhanced dashboards, seamless integration, and a boost in productivity doesn’t stop there. The list of improved features is endless and it all comes down to the same idea: The fully optimized user experience. There is a bit of lead time before the inevitable change so it is a good idea to get your team up to speed with the changes before it is turned on for good. We have listed a few of the improved features to get you thinking about making the change. 

1 – Pinned List Views:

Due to popular demand on IdeaExchange with a whopping 52,000 Points; Pinned List Views have arrived!  This allows you to set the default view by object so you can easily access your list of choice quickly. 

2 – Increased Data Storage:

There is nothing worse than the pesky ‘Storage Almost Full’ notification and Salesforce gets that. Luckily, the minimum storage space has increased from 1 GB to 10 GB.  Woot!

3 – Simplify Appointment Scheduling:

Lightning scheduler can be easily embedded into your standard workflows. It is fully customizable, you can add employee metrics to ensure that each appointment is being booked with the best possible team member based on skills, location, certifications and more. 

4 – Make It Your Own:

With myLightning your dashboard reflects your company’s branding efforts. Add colors and themes to any page to truly make it one of a kind.

4 – Interactive Tabs:

In Classic, you are familiar with clicking tabs and being brought to your page of choice.The tabs now feature drop-down arrows that provide you with a variety of features that boost productivity and eliminate the need for unnecessary clicks. 

5 – Get Up To Speed:

The ‘Activities’ timeline allows you to view past activities such as emails, tasks, and events in chronological order. Which means your team can quickly get up to speed. 

6- Pinned List Views:

Due to popular demand on IdeaExchange with a whopping 52,000 Points; Pinned List Views have arrived!  This allows you to set the default view by object so you can easily access your list of choice quickly. 

7 – Dashboard Improvements:

With the Spring 19’ release the grid has been expanded to 12-columns. This offers you more flexibility, more components and layout options in one place. Don’t worry, you can always switch between 12 and 9-column grids, the choice is yours.  

8 – Go With The Flow:

Goodbye Cloud Flow Designer. Hello, Flow Builder. This powerful automation tool allows users to drag and drop their business processes by building applications known as Flows. These Flows can collect, create, update and delete information right in your org. Users are easily able to create flows based on their needs to increase productivity and efficiency. 

There is so much more to learn about the Lightning Experience and with powerful optimization specifically for lighting, products like Tableau, CPQ and Pardot the opportunities are endless. The team at CRMD is eager to get your business ready to make the switch quickly and easily. We begin with the Readiness Report to determine your business needs and deploy accordingly. Contact us today and let’s get started!

Paul Zocco, Developer

developer in chair smiling with blue shirt.

Hi! I'm Paul.

Developer

“CRMD is a very special consulting partner because they create value. They accomplish this because the teams create configurations and write code the way Salesforce wants them to while simultaneously working to achieve a client’s vision. Because of this methodology, users get instances that work in both the short- and long-term.”

Platform Developer I Certified

Certified Sales Consultant

Salesforce Certified Administrator

App Builder

developer in chair smiling with blue shirt.

A LITTLE BACKGROUND STORY

"I’m a Quinnipiac University alumni and a native bay stater. I’m also probably too witty for my own good."

HOBBIES & INTERESTS

I’m a big fan of sports, indie rock, and volunteering.”

HOW DID YOU FIND OUT ABOUT SALESFORCE / CRMD?

I got interested in CRMD because I was looking to do consulting here in Boston’s tech industry and I was most impressed with CRMD’s work. As for Salesforce, I started in Trailhead and never looked back!

WHERE DID YOU WORK BEFORE?

“I had worked at radio station WEEI.”

WHAT IS THE MOST EXCITING THING YOU’VE DISCOVER SINCE BEGINNING YOUR CAREER IN SALESFORCE?

“I’m very excited about the recent Tableau acquisition. When it gets revealed where Salesforce is taking Tableau’s data visualization, I’m going to dive into it.”

WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR YOUR YOUNGER SELF?

“Success and failure are not opposites. Success is often the outcome of determination after many, and perhaps even necessary, failed attempts at a goal.”

WHAT EXCITES YOU MOST ABOUT YOUR JOB AT CRMD?

“The attitudes of everyone here. Everyday I work with extremely knowledgeable, talented, and ambitious professionals but yet they are also probably the most grounded and approachable people you can meet.”

John Pontius, Consultant

Hi! I'm John.

Consultant 

“I appreciate that CRMD is focused on quality over quantity. I was raised to believe that if you’re going to do a job, then you better do it right, and I like that CRMD adheres to that principle”.

Pardot Specialist

Certified Sales Consultant

Certified Advanced Administrator 

Salesforce Administrator

Platform App Builder

Pardot Consultant 

A LITTLE BACKGROUND STORY

"After graduating from college, I moved to Boston from New York because I had several friends in the area and liked the city. I worked as a paralegal, bouncer and CrossFit trainer, until eventually finding my niche in sales. I sold trade show booth space for an international events company, while doubling as the company's Salesforce administrator. After 7 years, I moved into Salesforce consulting full-time."

HOBBIES & INTERESTS

“I enjoy working with my hands and problem solving. My wife and I recently purchased our first home, so I’ve had plenty to keep me busy. I try to workout everyday and enjoy spending time outdoors- hunting, fishing or hiking with my wife and our Bulldog, Chopper.”

HOW DID YOU FIND OUT ABOUT SALESFORCE / CRMD?

“I’ve been working in the Salesforce ecosystem for 7 years. I was introduced to it at my previous company, Travel Show Marketing Group, where I was a sales person with full administrative permissions and I was fortunate to be able to shape the platform to my personal liking.”

WHERE DID YOU WORK BEFORE?

“Travel Show Marketing Group, which is an international trade show producer for the events industry.”

WHAT EXCITES YOU MOST ABOUT YOUR JOB WITH CRMD?

” I like a challenge. Clients often come to us to fix or improve their Salesforce platforms and I like solving people’s problems.”

WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR YOUR YOUNGER SELF?

“Don’t be afraid to make mistakes.”

WHAT SKILLS WOULD YOU LIKE TO LEARN IN THE NEAR FUTURE?

“I’d like to learn more about Einstein Analytics as I believe it could be useful for many of CRMD’s clients.”

Let’s Make A Sandwich: A Visual Guide To Application Development Terms.

#1. Project Planning

What kind of sandwich do you want to make? How long will it take?

The first step in every project is also the most important: planning out what it is you’re going to do. Go into the planning process with a clear idea of the business challenge that you are trying to solve. Clearly define your objectives and how you plan on measuring success. From there, you can begin to build your solution.

#2. Architecting / Blueprinting

Drafting the recipe for your sandwich.

Here is where the technical experts come in. They take the objectives and the success criteria you’ve defined in the project planning stage and figure out how it should actually be done. Expect to review any clarifying questions and weigh in on suggestions for making the translation of your requirements into the technology more seamless.

#3. Configuration

Assembling the sandwich in your kitchen

The developers will work with the technical experts to start building out the solution as agreed upon by the team. It’s up to the developer to determine the complexity of your project and provide timeline expectations. Always build in some extra time for unexpected surprises and setbacks.

#4. Code Review

Flipping through the layers of sandwich to confirm the correct ingredients are there

If your project is one that requires custom coding, the code review stage is when a senior developer will review the newly-built code to make sure that it complies with industry standards while meeting the project requirements. It is the first pass of quality assurance testing before we get to the next stage…

#5. Internal Testing

Taste-testing your new sandwich

Before you’re ready to take this to your boss or your co-workers, always make sure to test the solution yourself! Define some realistic scenarios that will allow you to confirm that you’re on the right track with this solution. Try to keep your testing as close to how the final product will be used in real life.

#6. User-Acceptance Testing

Serving samples to your family and friends to see if they like the sandwich too

If your solution will be used by other people, make sure to get them involved in the testing. Have them try out the scenarios they would use and gather their feedback. What worked, what didn’t work? Are there any assumptions you made that will have to be re-evaluated? This is one of the most important stages in ensuring long-term success.

#7. Deployment

Debuting your new sandwich to the world!

Deployment is the stage that takes everything in testing and makes it, well, live. Whether your project is only available to a subset of your co-workers or is public for anyone to see, this is the important final step in wrapping up all those hours of hard work! Put aside some extra time for testing and monitoring after a deployment to make sure things are working as you envisioned..

#8. Training

Teaching a cooking class for your world-famous sandwich

Training is an important element that helps users get the most value out of your solution. Whether you plan to have documentation, a video, or an in-person training seminar, figure out a strategy for rolling out the new change across your users.

Now you’re ready to ahead and take your first step in becoming a sandwich-making, technology project managing expert! 
Hungry to Make a Sandwich with Us?

Contact the Salesforce Doctors at CRMD for all the CRM needs for you and your business.

Chat With A CRM Expert TodayChat With A CRM Expert Today

Formula Fields: A Powerful Way To Control & Display Key Data

Every Thursday, our very own John Pontius, CRMD's business analyst and internal guru shares tips for Salesforce users and highlights the power of automation for businesses.

This time, John walks users through how to automatically calculate values in Salesforce Classic & Lightning. By working with formula fields within Salesforce CRM, users can automate and display valuable information at-a-glance.

Part 2 – How to use the formula editor in Lightning Experience!

Stay tuned for our upcoming webinar on Thursday March 28th, 2019. Subscribe to CRMD’s Youtube Channel to watch our complete playlist on Salesforce tutorials.  Get answers to all of your CRM needs for you and your business. If you found this content helpful, let us know.

Follow us on Linkedin or Tweet us your questions or suggestions for future videos!

Don't Miss Our Previously Recorded Webinar on Matching Rules & Merge Records!
Planning to implement Salesforce for your business? Talk to one of our CRM experts

John Pontius is a Business Analyst with CRMD and has worked in the Salesforce platform as a Sales Manager and Administrator for over six years. He  holds his Salesforce Administrator, Advanced Administrator, Sales Cloud Consultant and Platform App Builder Certifications and finds particular joy in helping clients eliminate repetitive, time-sucking actions through automation.  

Curb Dirty Data: Clean Up Duplicates With Salesforce Matching Rules & Merge Records

Salesforce.com How-To: Merge Records Prevents Duplicates From Complicating Sales & Marketing Initiatives

Every Thursday, our very own John Pontius, CRMD's business analyst and internal guru shares tips for Salesforce users and highlights the power of automation for businesses.

Coming in hot for Pi Day 2019, John demonstrates how to merge records and set matching rules in Salesforce Classic & Lightning. By consolidating duplicate records within Salesforce CRM, teams across all business functions can effectively and accurately make knowledgeable decisions about their customers.

What is “dirty data” and why is it important for organizations of all sizes to implement culture-wide clean data practices?

According to a Harvard Business Review article by Thomas C. Redman in 2016, U.S companies are squandering $3 TRILLION per year on ineffective business efforts due to dirty data.

It’s an eye-popping figure that highlights common inefficiencies that continue to bog down companies of all sizes today.

Dirty data applies to records that are: badly-formatted, incomplete or outdated, and duplicates.

  • Duplicate data can cause confusion amongst departments
  • Outdated data affects reporting & business initiatives.
  • Bad Data = Costly consequences

via HBR.org

Clean data practices ensures:

  • Data is reliable & accurate
  • Teams can make knowledgeable decisions, faster
  • Saves times & increase efficiency
  • Quality leads generation

Rather than relying on users to manually detect inconsistencies in their CRM, we can take proactive measures with Salesforce to prevent duplicate records from being created. Merge records consolidates your existing records and match rules helps prevent duplicates from being created or imported in the future. It is an important step in keeping information accurate and maintaining positive relationships with customers

For Salesforce Lightning users, click play below watch how to create matching rules and merge records.

Stay tuned for our upcoming webinar on Thursday March 21st, 2019. Subscribe to CRMD’s Youtube Channel to watch our complete playlist on Salesforce tutorials.  Get answers to all of your CRM needs for you and your business. If you found this content helpful, let us know.

Follow us on Linkedin or Tweet us your questions or suggestions for future videos!

Don't Miss Our Previously Recorded Webinar on Keep Org Data Clean Field Dependencies in Salesforce Classic!
Planning to implement Salesforce for your business? Talk to one of our CRM experts

John Pontius is a Business Analyst with CRMD and has worked in the Salesforce platform as a Sales Manager and Administrator for over six years. He  holds his Salesforce Administrator, Advanced Administrator, Sales Cloud Consultant and Platform App Builder Certifications and finds particular joy in helping clients eliminate repetitive, time-sucking actions through automation.